CSFO: Tuscaloosa City Schools’ October FY26 figures show steady fund balance, modest revenue shifts

Jay Duke, the district’s chief school finance officer, told the Tuscaloosa City Schools Board on Jan. 13 that the district is one month into fiscal 2026 and is seeing early signs of stability.

"Property tax is a little early to look at in total," Duke said, adding the levy is "scheduled to be about a $36,500,000 budget." He told the board sales tax is budgeted at $23,500,000 and that October receipts were down versus the previous year but ahead of figures from two years ago.

Duke said October expenditures are down year-over-year, a change he attributed in part to adjustments made after a failed referendum. He noted that capital outlay line items — including a Central High School track refurbishment and a new roof at Woodland Forest Elementary School — will produce larger expenditures in spring and summer, and that bus purchases also typically appear later in the fiscal year.

Debt service remains a significant recurring cost, Duke said, estimating annual payments "about 10 or $11,000,000" for buildings and infrastructure.

Duke emphasized the figures represent an initial snapshot: "We're just 1 month in, so I don't want to put too much weight on the total percentage there," and said staff will return with more detail as additional months close.

The board took no separate action on the report; members thanked the finance staff and had no substantive follow-ups at the meeting.